Avocado Chocolate Pudding

Here on Norfolk, avocado's are in season right now. Certainly they are impressive too - nothing like the poor sad versions you get in supermarkets. Norfolk avo's (which don't spend a holiday in cold storage) are generally ginormous, full of flavour and most importantly, chemical free! Whilst growing up, I was never a huge fan, but it seems my tastes are maturing with age.  Some folk LOVE avocado's - hmmm,  that's not me. Certainly I won't be digging into one with a spoon anytime soon (like my kids do). I cope a bit better when avocado is paired with other flavours; poached eggs served with smoked salmon, toasted sourdough and a few slices of avocado on the side - oh gee, that's got me salivating! Yep, the ultimate indulgent breakfast I think.  And don't get me started on guacamole, how delicious!!!!!! Oh and there's nothing tastier than a fresh salad roll buttered with thickly spread avocado. OK, so it seems I do like avocado, just not when it's plain avocado! 

Recently I stumbled across an unusual recipe - Avocado Chocolate Pudding. Strange? Um, yes.  I've made it twice now and I'm still not sure what I think. It's very rich and extremely filling.  The texture is smooth and thick like chocolate mousse. Surprisingly it doesn't taste too much like avocado (well, OK, maybe a subtle aftertaste). I actually found it too rich by itself and diluted it with a small scoop of plain ice-cream. The kids love it so I thought it was worth sharing.

 What you need:

2 ripe avocados
1/4 cup of honey (or maple syrup if you are in a vegan mood)
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp of raw cocoa powder
3 Tbsp cold pressed virgin coconut oil (melted)
1 tsp of vanilla essence *

Makes 4-6 serves
 
The how to:

It's not very tricky. Just put everything in a food processor and whiz until smooth (I used the S-blade). Spoon into dishes and top with cream or ice-cream. Left-overs will keep for up to 2 days in the fridge but just like with guacamole, store the seed with the pudding to maximize freshness. To be honest, on the two occasions I have made this I didn't have to store it very long, the little munchkins polished it off! You'd have to say this is a pretty healthy dish though.  Avocado, coconut oil and raw cocoa powder are amazingly beneficial foods! So while this dessert is a bit weird, it's worth trying. You may be quiet surprised.

*The original recipe called for one vanilla bean sliced and scooped out, but seriously, who has one of those just floating around the pantry? I used a cap full of vanilla essence instead.